Monday, July 14, 2014

Wish I had time to yawn. But I don't. So Horse Country Chic is taking a hiatus, to regroup, reinvigorate, get rid of the things that aren't working anymore. I don't know how long this yawn will be, if it will return and what life holds a month from now, six months from now. Right now there's not enough hours in a day. I hope we'll be back! Life's too short - and when it gets too hard to fit it all in, well, it's time for change.

Friday, July 11, 2014

It's finally finished. An heirloom to pass down to someone special. It took a lot of time, money and effort to complete but it is certainly a one of a kind.

I finished the background in a dark tan so it won't get dirty. The handle and trim are in a brown leather. The interior is a pink taffeta. Love, love, love it. It's not a big bag, perfect for my size. If you want to consider ordering one for yourself to stitch you can do so here. I customized it a bit, changing some of the colors and I used wool thread. My stripes are in a blue. It looks somewhat purple here but it's a deep blue. This will go with everything. Have I inspired you to stitch? I hope so.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

The North Carolina mountains have always been spectacular - Blowing Rock, Roaring Gap, Asheville are great places to visit. But the ante has now been raised to an even higher level. Recent announcements in the equestrian world have all the buzz, a new but less over the top Wellington, in Tryon, no less. Yes, the rumors are true.

Real estate mogul and hotel/spa developer Sheila Johnson recently announced that her second resort (the first one is in Middleburg, VA and is fantastic) will be built in Tryon, N.C.

Johnson’s company, Salamander Hotels and Resorts, has partnered with
Tryon Equestrian Partners to build Tryon Resort in Tryon, North
Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
When completed, the 1,400-acre resort will include a 150-room hotel,
several 2,600-square-foot vacation rental cabins,1,000 permanent horse
stalls, 10 riding arenas and a 5,000-square-foot entertainment pavilion.

The hotel will include a spa akin to the high-end facility installed
at Salamander as well as an Arnold Palmer Signature Design golf course,
an RV park and a sports complex, which will include a health club, game
room, sports bar, tennis courts, climbing walls, a pool and more.

The project will be phased over the next two years. Tryon Equestrian
Partners began work on the equestrian center in January, and the
facility has already begun hosting equestrian events. The 150-room hotel
is being developed by Salamander and is scheduled to open in 2016.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

July 12th is International Helmet Awareness Day for you riders out there. Many vendors are discounting their helmets on July 12th and/or offering free giveaways this week (Dover's on Facebook). This is a great time to purchase a new helmet if you need one as they are uber expensive now. But head injuries are real and you should ALWAYS wear a helmet when mounted on a horse.

From the Charles Owen (a helmet maker) website:

The aim of the International Helmet Awareness
Day is to educate as many equestrians as possible about helmet and
safety awareness through a global equestrian retailer network. It is
also a great opportunity to discuss correct helmet fit, when to replace a
helmet, concussions, and how a helmet protects your head in the event
of an accident.

In addition to safety education, International
Helmet Awareness Day allows retailers to offer attractive pricing to
encourage riders to purchase their first helmet, replace an old one that
has been in an accident or doesn't fit properly, or simply update their
look.

Riders4Helmets is a non-profit helmet awareness
group based in the US founded as a result of International Dressage
rider Courtney King-Dye's traumatic brain injury incurred while riding
without a helmet. The mission of this group is to educate equestrians
on the basic facts of wearing a helmet and to promote the helmet wearing
campaign on an international level by involving leading equestrians in
various disciplines that hopefully encourage an increased use of
helmets. Riders4Helmets also provide important links/resources to enable
riders to become further educated on the importance of wearing a
helmet.

Charles Owen is proud
to continue our partnership in to 2014 with Riders4Helmets, we look
forward to another successful International Helmet Awareness day and the
continued growth of helmet safety awareness.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

It's criminal what's happening in our world when we are sending precious horses, often abused, neglected, to slaughter. Lucky for us and for some of the horses, there are some kind souls out there who are working to save these horses from a terrible death. Look at this one, a lovely large pony, just saved today:

He looks much better than many but his feet are not in good shape.

This one was also saved this week:

From their web site:

We
Have Saved Hundreds of Horses The
Omega Horse Rescue and
Rehabilitation Center has placed more 1,200 horses since its foundation
in 1997. We handle all horse breeds, ponies, donkeys and mules for
possible adoption.
Whether the horses come to the Rescue by way of neglect, auction or
donation, our mission remains clear and constant: Educate horse owners
on the true responsibilities involved in equine care; legislate the
humane treatment of horses everywhere; and find appropriate homes for
unwanted, abused or neglected equines of all descriptions.

Read more here.
I don't typically get on the soap box but a $5 donation buys a bail of hay, $15 pays for a bag of feed, $30 a farrier trim. They are a legitimate 501(c)3. You can donate here via Paypal.

Please go to the site and read the stories, make a donation, better yet, adopt a horse in real need of a break, a loving home, a bale of hay, a nice meal of oats and carrots.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Gotta love this tag line. It's great to see a non-profit placing horses with troubled girls. It's a wonderful idea isn't it. See more here. Corral had a booth at a recent horse show. It's based near Raleigh, N.C.

Riding teaches badly needed discipline. It's a lot of work caring for these animals.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Over the years I had seen Stephen Filarsky's work at horse shows - Upperville, Devon, Raleigh and others. I had always admired his work, his ability to capture the character and essence of some of the great ones like Upperville, Blowing Rock and Deep Run. He also has a blog. See it here. He frequently paints the covers for some of the big shows. This is the one for the show I just attended. Very surprised no one bought this painting. I was so tempted.

This will be the cover for the Blowing Rock show (I think that is correct). He donates it to auction at the show. Love this one too!

Devon:

Upperville:

Deep Run (in Virginia):

Upperville:

Warrenton:

Keswick:

Devon, I think:

Deep Run I think:

Upperville, jumper side:

This is my favorite, Blowing Rock:

I love his work! You can see much more on his website. I would love to add a piece to my own collection! See more here.

When I was on vacation last week I discovered this very interesting vendor, Silver Palate Feeders. The owner makes decorative feeders our of old silver and other stuff. She's very creative and what a great way to repurpose pieces no one wants.